Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 21:39:21 -1000 From: miel@knoware.nl (Emiel Stroeve) Message-Id: <48k2ht$f5a@news.euro.net> Organization: Euronet Internet Subject: Re: Extreme Kiting, Legislation, and Exploring Life kelly66131@aol.com (Kelly66131) wrote: >Where do you think all the hang-gliders, bungee jumpers, drag racers etc.. >came from they were all kids just like you and I. Loving, Laughing, >Dreaming, Crying, Screaming, exploring life with a passion, and being >scared to death to go to sleep. After all we are all just children >tugging at string. >Sincerly >Kelly Reed... Austin Regional Director > Texas Skyriders Kite Club You're right (of course) We all should be responsible for our own actions. But then yo have to know what the gear can and can't do to you. With bungee jumping it's easy: just jump, nothing can go wrong, no skills are needed. Hang gliding and drag racing is an expensive *passion* so you know what you're doing. With kiting it's a bit different, you can buy a kite for a few hunderd dollars and do things (without support) that are really dangerous. People who know about kiting, what the kite can do (do we really know ??) can be responsible, but people (kids) who never flew a kite and start jumping are the biggest problem. They haven't got a clue what a normal looking kite can do under high wind conditions. see you, emiel stroeve ---------------------------------------------------miel@knoware.nl http://www.euronet.nl/users/mielse/index.html = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 17 Nov 1995 10:24:59 -1000 From: kelly66131@aol.com (Kelly66131) Message-Id: <48ir2r$dmi@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Subject: Re: Extreme Kiting, Legislation, and Exploring Life >>>At present I think that other people's 'power kiting' may well get all kite >>>fliers a bad name, and encourage local authorities to ban *all* kite flying in >>>many areas. >>>Perhaps if 'power kiters' call themselves 'wind launched hang-gliders' we can >>>put expect legislators to put them in a different mental pigeon hole. I personally feel that it is our societys' main fault in it's manner of dealing with issues that it feels are to extreme, or to "radical" for the mainstream or to dangerous for the general public is to try and remove the problem altogether. What ever happened to the novel concept of taking resposibility for your own actions and respecting those around you. When I "Traction Kite" I always use protective gear and maintain a high level of awareness of wind speed and passers-by. Pigeon holing anyone or anything is always a nice quick way of dealing with a problem however it's does nothing for leaving space for imagination and creativity. A few to many flyers have hurt themselves already and more will continue to do so. However that is the choice of those participating and it is the responsibility of those same people to take precautions and be aware of the force the wind and nature as a whole has over us all. I wish I could say that legislation would never pass limitations on what I want to do with kites however one day it will probably happen and it will be enforced by someone that was fed mis-information by someone trying to protect me from myself and pigeoned holed me into some catagory "as unsafe... nut" I all can say is it would be very unfortunate to watch another aspect of our freedom be shattered and another part of our personal sense of responsibility taken away. All in the name of "it's for your own good." >>>(possibly even a more accurate one; I'm sure that 'power kiters' have more in >>>common with hang-gliders, bungee jumpers, drag racers etc than they do with the >>>kids at my local 'kite workshop') Where do you think all the hang-gliders, bungee jumpers, drag racers etc.. came from they were all kids just like you and I. Loving, Laughing, Dreaming, Crying, Screaming, exploring life with a passion, and being scared to death to go to sleep. After all we are all just children tugging at string. Sincerly Kelly Reed... Austin Regional Director Texas Skyriders Kite Club Kelly66131@aol.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =